Train-pipe coupling.



No. 873-,94'7. PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

I G. E. KELLY 5: G. F. ROYER. TRAINPIPE COUPLING.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 0T. 3. 1906.

2 SHEBTSf EEEEE 1.

/ m'fl WIN!!! minim 1 WllIlllk No. 873.947. 'PA'I'ENTED DEC 17., 1907.

G E. KELLY & G P. ROYER. TRAIN PIPE COUPLING, lPPLIOATION FILED OUT. 3. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. ELLY AND GEORGE F. ROYER, or WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE KELLY-ARNOLD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WILKES-BARBIE,

VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYL- TkAlN-PIPE COUPLING.

Patented Dec, ,17, 1997.

Application filed mama-190s. smart. 337.268.

To all whom'tt may concern:

Be it knownthatwe, GEORGE E. KELLY and Gnonen F. ROYER, citizens of the United improvements'upon the automatic coupling y for air and steam train pipes which forms the subject matter of our ending application,

Serial Number 314,705 7 ed-May 1, 1906.

- The several improvements will be described in-detail in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,-'

Flgure 1 1s a lan view partllg in section of one of the coup 'ng members: ig. 2 is a face or end-view of the same; Fig! 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig; 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarge ment of a part of-Fig. '3, the valvebeing shown in a different position; Fi :5 is a sec- I tion on the line 5 of Fig. 4, an Fig. 6 is a and O the air conduit for the signa plan view of the auxiliary airvalves, showing their relation when cars are coupled.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates the conduit for the air for operating the brakes, B the steam conduit for the heating system, system. In so far as the resent invention is concerned, the conduit B maybe used for the signal air, anil the conduit C forthe steam, however. These conduits pass through a head D which is preferably an iron castmg:

The several openings in the casting are rovided with suitable-brass bushings 1 in 'ch guide tunnel of the opposing coupling mem' her. The guide frame anditssupporting bracket 7 are also preferably stamped from sheet metal and connectedto the head D by suitable means, as by the rivets 8. l

' The head D is sup cried in a stem or shank 9, bein connected t ereto by swivel joint 10..

,To fac litate the connection of these parts andto effect 'a light, strong, and economical construction the stem or shank 9 is formed of sheet metal in two halves, each half bein provided with flanges 10 which are connecter i together by means of bolts 11. Heretofore,

wehave constructed the head, the guide portions, and the stem or shank of our coupler in a single piece, but the construction above described, wherein thehead is a casting and the other parts are of stamped sheet metal, secures greater strength, less liability to breakage, and economy of metal and labor without detriment to'the operation of the coupling In our preferred form of valve, as shown in Figs. 3. and 4, we use a asket 12 of rubber or other flexible materialfiiaving a groove 13 in its inner face and a lip 14: adjacent to the groove. The hp provides a yielding surface adapted'to make close contact with the corresponding -lip.of the opposing valve, and the grooves 13 steam or air ressure to operate on te rear face of the ips and hold them together, thus securing tight joints between the'coupling members. It

will be understood that each end ofeech car is equi ped with identical coupling members, that t e guide pins and lm- 18 cause the opposing coupling me hers to register exactly, and that when the cars are coupled together the askets 12 of the o posing valves register a abut, thus coup mg the steamand pipes of one car to the steam and air pipesrespectively of the adjoining car.

We provide means for setting the brakes upon any car or cars which becomea ct dentally detached from a train, while, at the same time, if the cars be intentionally detached, the brakes need not be set. For this purpose we use auxiliary valves E which are constructed and operated as follows :-:The valves E are locatedin cases 15 which are preferably integral with and on the upper I rate passage 21 provides communication be-- ends of the heads When the coupling tions as shown in Fig. 3, as will be presently explained. As shown, each valve E comprises two cup-leathers 16 suitably connected to a valve stem 17. The valve operates in a bushing 18 in the casing 15, the forward end of the bushing being closed by a suitable cap 19. tion between the rear portion of the valve chamber and the air conduit A, and a sepatween the middle portion of the bushing 1 of the main air valve and a space 22 at the back,

of the valve E. The valve stem of each safety valve E is provided with a bent operating lever 23 which is pivotally connected with the valve stem. One arm of each lever 23 is connected with a chain or other connection 24 running to the side of the car, by means of which the valve may be operated, and the other arm of the lever is arranged to operate the valve stem of the opposing safety valve as shown in Fig. 6.

The operation of the safety valves is as followsz When the cars are coupled air en ters the passages 21 and passes to the chamber 22 in the rear of the valves, thus forcing the safety valves forward to the position shown in Fi' 4, and the valves normally stand in this forward position while the train is in running condition. When it is desired to uncouple a car without setting the brakes on it, one of the chains 24 is pulled, thus throwing the safety valves at the coupling which is to be disconnected to the rear into the position shown in Fig. 3. While the valves are thus held in this position the car is uncoupled and the main air valves immediately cut off the air from the passage 21. The air entering the passage 20 operates equally upon the opposing cup-leathers 16, and does not tend to shift the valve E. The brakes may be set by simply pulling out the valve E to its forward position, as shown in Fig. 4, thus permitting the air to escape through the channels 20 and 21. Should a train break accidentally, the valves E where the break occurs, will be left-in their forward positions, as shown in Fig. 4, and the air in the rear portion of the train will escapethrough the channels 20 and 21, thus settin the brakes. The engineer will be notified by the air whistle of the break in the train, and he can maintain the requisite pressure in the forward part of the train to prevent A passage 20 provides communica setting of the brakes such as would permit the rear portion of the train to collide with of the sheet metal shank or stem for supporting said head, the head having a swivel connection with the shank or stem.

3. In an automatic air and steam coupling for railway cars, the combination-with the head D having the air and steam conduits,

of the sheet metal shank or stem consisting of two flanged portions suitably connected together and connected to the head by .a swivel joint.

-4. In an automatic air and steam coupling for railway cars, the combination with the head D having the air and steam conduits,

of the complementary guide portions formed of sheet metal and secured upon 0 posite sides of the head, and the sheet metaFshank or stem connected with the head by a swivel joint.

5. The combination with an automatic air coupler for train brake pipes, of a safety valve adapted and arranged to permit the escape of air from a car accidentally detachedfronia train, and means for adjusting the safety valve to prevent the discharge of air through said valve when desired.

6. The combination with an automatic air coupler for train brake pipes, of a safety valve on each coupler section, and'means for operating said valves simultaneously .to prevent the escape of airwhen uncoupling a car.

7. The combination with an automatic air coupler for train brake pipes comprising a head D and a main air valve 2 operating therein, of a safety valve adjacent to the main air valve, said safety valve being adapted and arranged to permit the escape of 'air upon accidental separation of the coupling, and means for adjusting said valve to pre vent the escape of air when the coupling is intentionally separated.

8: The combination with an automatic air coupler for train brake pipes comprising a head D and a main air valve 2' operating therein, of a safety valve adjacent to the main air valve, said safety valve'comprising opposing cups or pistons'mountecl upon a common; stem, and the valve chamber of said valve having a passage communicating with the main air pipe at all timesjand a'second passa econtrol ed by 'the'mainair valve. 1

9. he combination with'an automatic air disconnected from atrain/and' means for manuall operating the safetyvalve.

10. T e combination with an automatic .air coupler for railway cars, of a safety valve on each couplersection, and ineans'for operating .said valves, the means for operating 15' each valye being adapted to simultaneously operate -.the"adjacentvalve, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our eignatures in presence of two witne'sse.

GEORGE E. KELLY. n GEORGE-F. ROYER Witnesses:

-. JOHN J. ODoNNELL,

EDWARD N. NoL 

